New Delhi: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has strongly opposed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposed visit to Israel, becoming the only major political party in India to publicly register its dissent over the trip, which is expected to deepen bilateral strategic and defence cooperation.
In a sharply worded statement, the CPI(M) said the visit comes at a time when Israel continues its military operations in the Gaza Strip and has intensified actions in the occupied West Bank. The party alleged that despite ceasefire arrangements, Israeli forces have continued strikes resulting in civilian casualties and expanded settlement activities in occupied territories.
The Left party described the Prime Minister’s engagement with the government led by Benjamin Netanyahu as “deeply inopportune,” arguing that such diplomatic outreach risks legitimising policies it termed as oppressive toward Palestinians. It further accused the Modi government of abandoning India’s long-standing principled support for the Palestinian cause.
“The visit represents a betrayal of the Palestinian people and signals India’s growing alignment with the US-Israel strategic axis in West Asia,” the CPI(M) said, referring to the role of the United States in the region and rising tensions involving Iran.
The party also criticised the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party government for strengthening military, economic, and technological ties with Israel, asserting that such moves depart from India’s historic foreign policy balance between Israel and Palestine.
The Modi government, however, has consistently defended its engagement with Israel as part of a broader effort to enhance cooperation in critical sectors such as defence, agriculture, water management, and innovation. Since Modi’s landmark visit to Israel in 2017—the first ever by an Indian Prime Minister—bilateral ties have expanded significantly, particularly in defence procurement and strategic coordination.
While the CPI(M) has reiterated its demand that India prioritise solidarity with Palestine and avoid actions that could be seen as endorsing Israeli military policies, no other major opposition party has formally opposed the upcoming visit so far, reflecting a broader political consensus in favour of maintaining strong India-Israel relations even amid ongoing regional conflict.
The visit is expected to further consolidate India’s strategic footprint in West Asia, even as it raises renewed debate within sections of the political spectrum over the balance between realpolitik and India’s traditional diplomatic commitments.
 has opposed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposed visit to Israel, citing concerns over Gaza, Palestine, and India’s shifting foreign policy stance.){kind=link}